City changing lanes

Shelby leaders hope changes to a busy uptown street will improve pedestrian safety while increasing traffic at shops and restaurants.

Warren Street will be reduced from two lanes of travel in both directions to one lane in each direction, with a middle turn lane from its intersections with DeKalb to Lafayette to Morgan streets.

The NC Department of Transportation will oversee the project, and restriping street lines will not cost the city any additional money. NCDOT recently repaved the street.

About 6,000 vehicles travel Warren Street per day, according to NCDOT.

“This will calm traffic,” said Walt Scharer, planning director for the city of Shelby. “Pedestrians can feel safer.”

City council member Dicky Amaya favored the street change Monday, when the council unanimously approved the project.

"I like the idea of reducing it to three lanes," Amaya said.

Several years ago, the city developed a Pedestrian Plan and Center City Masterplan that identified uptown as a pedestrian-oriented district where businesses are easily accessed via walking.

A NCDOT analysis shows the change to three lanes of traffic on Warren Street will reduce crashes by two per year, Scharer said.

“That extra time can be spent looking out for pedestrians,” Scharer said. “Hopefully this will lead more customers to retail.”

Eliminating a second travel lane in both directions allows for more space in each lane, too. Travel lanes are expected to widen from 11 to 16 feet. Parallel parking spaces will gain an additional foot in width, Scharer said.

“It will be easier for (drivers) to get in and out of cars and safer pedestrian crossings,” Shelby Mayor Stan Anthony said.

NCDOT employees are expected to restripe Warren street with the lane changes this year. The project could take one to two weeks to finish, according to Scharer.

According to the city of Shelby, the elimination of two lanes of travel on Warren Street will mean:

- Lanes in both directions will widen to 16 feet

- Parallel parking space width along the street will increase to 9 feet

- No loss of parallel parking spaces

- According to a NCDOT analysis of a 10-year period, there were 85 crashes in the area where the street setup will be modified. NCDOT estimates the changes to the street will reduce the number of crashes by two per year, meaning 65 crashes in a 10-year period.